Self-isolation rules tighten for N.L. rotational workers as cases tick upwards
Workers are eligible for COVID-19 test on Day 7, instead of Day 5
The self-isolation rules for returning rotational workers are tightening slightly, the government announced Monday — while the RCMP confirmed it's investigating a complaint that a rotational worker who returned to the Deer Lake area did not follow self-isolation guidelines.
Newfoundland and Labrador's chief medical officer of health announced new rules for rotational workers returning to the province at late-morning press conference Monday.
Dr. Janice Fitzgerald said rotational workers will now have to wait until Day 7 — instead of Day 5 — to get a COVID-19 test, starting Wednesday.
This will reduce the chance of a false negative, said Fitzgerald.
If a worker receives a negative test they qualify for a modified quarantine, Fitzgerald added.
"They can leave their house and visit public places and other family members," she said. "They must not attend mass gatherings or crowded spaces, and must not enter a long-term-care facility, personal-care home or assisted-living facility during the final seven days of their modified quarantine," she said.
However, the rules for workers returning from a site or camp where a COVID-19 outbreak has been confirmed must self-isolate for the full 14 days upon arriving back home.
They'll monitor closely, may extend it past two weeks. <br>If there are reasons that someone can't isolate for 14 days, they can apply for testing to shorten the isolation time <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/covid19nfld?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#covid19nfld</a>
—@PeterCBCDuring Monday's news conference, Premier Andrew Furey called on camps and companies to change their schedule for rotational workers to one month on, one month off, to reduce the isolation requirements, and reduce total travel for those workers.
New rules for family members of returning rotational workers
There are changes for some family members in the household of rotational workers.
Any adults within the same home of a rotational worker must now wear a mask when interacting with anyone outside their household, including other family members.
It was back on Sept. 9 that N.L. originally loosened, on a trial basis, self-isolation timelines for rotational workers returning to the province. Previously, workers had to self-isolate for the full 14 days.
On Nov. 2, the provincial government said there had been no significant increase in cases related to rotational workers, and the less-strict rules would continue
However, that has changed over the last two weeks.
For returning rotational workers who do not have symptoms, they can:
- Interact with family members within their household.
- Go outside on their property.
- Go for a walk, drive, bike ride, but while physical distancing from people outside the household.
Family members of rotational workers are not under restrictions on where they can go; they are permitted to go to school, work, stores and other places. It is recommended they avoid long-term-care facilities, but it is not a rule.
Rotational workers facing backlash
Earlier Monday, before the changes were announced, the mayor of Grand Bank said the town is grappling with a great deal of anxiety, but now that contact tracing is complete, they're hoping to have turned the corner.
"The uncertainty — one day is great, the next day is not so great," said Rex Matthews.
Monday's latest COVID-19 update did not include a new case related to the Grand Bank cluster, which is six cases — two of them senior citizens in the community's nursing home — and originated from a rotational worker who didn't test positive in Newfoundland and Labrador.
When asked Monday how that's possible, Fitzgerald said not every person gets tested in N.L.; essentially, that person could have been diagnosed in another jurisdiction.
Grand Bank has been a hotbed for rumours and speculation about the source of the infections, leading to a flurry of online comments condemning rotational workers who travel back and forth from places like Alberta.
In a social media group for rotational workers, some people report having the RCMP called on them for doing mundane tasks around their own property, like putting up Christmas lights.
"They do sacrifice," Matthews said. "They travel to other provinces of this country for employment, they leave their families, they leave their home, they leave their community, and it helps our economy. So under normal circumstances there's no issues, but these are extraordinary times."
With files from Mike Moore and Stephanie Kinsella